ANALYTICAL SKILLS - FALLACY OF IRRELEVANCE
-
Upload
jeremy-zhong -
Category
Spiritual
-
view
1.568 -
download
3
description
Transcript of ANALYTICAL SKILLS - FALLACY OF IRRELEVANCE
G15 T1
AMELIA KOH RUI ENBERNARD LIP WEI XIANCAREL CHUA BOON YUENGERALD TAN JIAMINJEREMY ZHONG JIAHAO
ANALYTICAL SKILLS
AGENDA DEFINITION OF FALLACY
Formal Informal
3 FALLACIES OFIRRELEVANCEAPPEAL TO PITYAPPEAL TO POPULARITYARGUMENT AGAINST THE PERSON
REAL-LIFE SCENARIO
3 FALLACIES OFIRRELEVANCE
DefinitionStructureTextbook ExampleOur ExamplesExamples that SEEM LIKE Fallacies
but... are NOT
DEFINITION OF FALLACYA FALLACY IS ARGUMENT BASED ON
INVALID OR FALSE REASONING
FORMAL FALLACYINFORMAL FALLACY
FORMAL FALLACY
Argument that contains a
MISTAKE in REASONING because of its
STRUCTURE
STRUCTURE ONLYFORMAL FALLACY
If you have big juggs, then you are a girl.
P
Q
I am a girl. Therefore, I have big juggs.
Q
P
QUICK EXAMPLE of FORMAL FALLACY
INFORMAL FALLACY
Argument that contains a
MISTAKE in REASONING
BEYOND Its STRUCTURE
CONTENT-SENSITIVE
INSPECT CONTENT
FALLACY OF IRRELEVANCE
Argues from the premises that have
NO LOGICAL RELEVANCE
to the CONCLUSION
APPEAL TO
PITY
APPEAL TO
PITYFallacy in which someone tries to win support
of an argument by exploiting other people's feelings of pity.
STRUCTURE of APPEAL to PITY
STRUCTURE of APPEAL to PITY
[1] Describe a situation by appealing to people’s emotion to create PITY.
(IRRELEVANT)[2] Therefore, we should accept the
conclusion.
TEXTBOOK Example
Surely, I’m not guilty.
But if you find me guilty then...my reputation will be ruined,
I’ll lose my job and then my kids will starve.
Your Honour, I admit I declared thirteen children as dependents on my tax return although I have only
two.
Example #1Listen Carel… I know you’re angry that I
COMPLETELY IGNORED your phone calls last night.
But hey, I made you flowers. Honestly, it wasn’t easy man! It took me 3 days 2 sleepless nights. I was
attacked by King Cobras and even rolled down the hill while plucking these beautiful flowers.
Look at these wounds here man! But it’s worth it anyway.
You should forgive and make love with me now!
Example #2
Without these bouncy perky ladies by my side, your son here couldn’t type a single word.
Son: Hey Mum! What’s the big deal about me WOMANIZING around?!
Mum: You have a girlfriend damnit!
Son: You see, this $1,000,000 project had been extremely stressful and I haven’t been sleeping for 7 days
already! Things had been really hard for me. I am not used to this level of work.
Example #3Hey! Listen up Prof… Ryan Mooneh cried all night because his pet dog tore up all of his favorite P********* Magazines. Can you
imagine this happening to you!?
Therefore, you should excuse him for coming to AS lesson DEAD DRUNK.
... If Premises are RELEVANT
It is NOT A Fallacy ...
BEWARE!
Paul was forced at gunpoint to drink three gallons of stouts to save his poor old diabetic, crippled and cancerous mother who was held by the rapist that had a fetish for old woman.
Therefore you should excuse him for coming to class drunk as a skunk.
NON-FALLACY #1
Paul was forced at gunpoint to drink three gallons of stouts to save his poor old diabetic, crippled and cancerous mother who was held by the rapist that had a fetish for old woman.
Therefore you should excuse him for coming to class drunk as a skunk.
NON-FALLACY #1REASONING
Paul was forced at gunpoint to drink three gallons of stouts to save his poor old diabetic, crippled and cancerous mother who was held by the rapist that had a fetish for old woman.
Therefore you should excuse him for coming to class drunk as a skunk.
NON-FALLACY #1
JUSTIFIED
REASONING
APPEAL TO POPULARITY
argues that a claim MUST BE TRUE
because... most people believe in it
- OR -because...
most people are favorably inclined.
APPEAL TO POPULARITY
STRUCTURE of APPEAL to POPULARITY
MOST (or many or all) people believe X is true.
Therefore, X is true.
Everyone is doing X, therefore you should do X.
STRUCTURE of APPEAL to POPULARITY
BELIEF
ACTION
1
2
TEXTBOOK Example
MOST people who followed the recent American Idol TV show voted for
Kelly Clarkson.
Therefore, she must be the best singer.
Structure: Everyone is doing X, therefore you should do X.
Example #1MOST MEN that are successful in career has a beautiful and sexy woman with big bouncy jugs
rooting for them.
Therefore, you should marry a sexy lady with big bouncy jugs too.
Structure: Everyone is doing X, therefore you should do X.
EVERYBODY believes that Guinness Stout is a GOD-sent
drink from heaven that sanctifies the soul and
elevates one to the seat of god.
Therefore, it must be so.
Example #2
Structure: Everyone is doing X, therefore you
should do X.
My girlfriend is really beautiful. I so want her to be my wife.
Do you know that MOST GUYS who make 1,000 roses and gave it to their beautiful girlfriend is successful when proposing.
Therefore, you should definitely do it too.
Okay, I am so going to make 1,000 roses and get her as my wife!
Example #3Student:
Prof:
Student:
... If conclusion is drawn from the premises as a RESULT of
or SOCIAL CONVENTION
BEWARE!
POPULARITY
Manchester United FC has 659 MILLION FANS
worldwide, the most of any football club.
They must be really popular.
POPULARITY
MOST PEOPLE agree that walking up to a random stranger
and grabbing their buttocks just because ...it is warm brown and
juicy is WRONG!
SOCIAL CONVENTION
Therefore, you must keep your hands to yourself!
ARGUMENTAGAINST THE
PERSON
ARGUMENTAGAINST THE
PERSON
1 Circumstantial2
3
(argumentum ad hominem)
You Too ABUSIVE
(Tu quoque)
Argument Against the Person
Suggests that the ARGUER is
BIASED to take a particular position.
Therefore, the argument is INVALID!
(APPEAL to Motive, PERSONAL INTEREST, Arguments from motives)
Circumstantial
STRUCTURE of Argument Against the Person
Circumstantial
Because of X’s circumstances, X has a motive for arguing Z.
Therefore, X’s argument is FAULTY/FALSE
STRUCTURE of AATP (CIRCUMSTANTIAL)
TEXTBOOK Example
As a Catholic, what else would you expect him to say?
The POPE has given reasons why abortion is wrong...
But we can forget all of that.
Ryan claims that we shouldn’t discriminate guys with MOOBS because some guys are just genetically prone to developing them!
Well, look at those melons that he has!
Surely he’s saying this only because he has those two huge honkers like Mount Everest and Mount Fuji on his chest! Don’t listen to him!
Example #1
Example #2 Paul claims that
HOT SEX makes one happy and that
everyone should have HOT SEX everyday!
But he’s such a sexual deviant!
Therefore, we know that what he says most certainly
isn’t true!
Prof Mooney says that we should spend more time on AS.
We can disregard this as he is an AS prof and he has a biased interest in wanting us to focus on his subject.
Example #3
ARGUMENTAGAINST THE
PERSON
1 Circumstantial2
3
(argumentum ad hominem)
You Too ABUSIVE
(Tu quoque)
Argument Against the Person
Attacks the arguer rather than the argument itself.
(Personal ABUSE, Personal ATTACK, DAMNING the Source)
ABUSIVE
Arguer is bad ≠ His argument is bad.
The attack on the person is IRRELEVANT
to the argument made.
STRUCTURE of Argument Against the Person
ABUSIVE
There is something OBJECTIONABLE about X.
Therefore, X’s argument is FAULTY!
STRUCTURE of Argument Against the Person
ABUSIVE
TEXTBOOK Example
So, his argument that the legal system is corrupt is nonsense.
Paul is a criminal and a wife beater.
Ryan Mooneh looks like a young innocent chap
that takes his work seriously…
Therefore, you can’t take his advice on sex.
Example #1
Example #2
Therefore, his claim to be a responsible teacher who cares deeply about his students is poppycock!
Ryan drinks beer as if his liver has been touched by the hand of God and
is immune to the effects of alcohol poisoning.
Ryan slouches and I’ve caught him grinning at those girls’ bountiful
bosoms with drool coming out of the side of his mouth – he looks like an
absolute PERVERT!
Therefore, he can’t be a good accountant and as he claims and he
should be fired!
Example #3
... IF PERSONAL FLAWS of CHARACTERS ARe
LOGICALLY RELEVANTto the CONCLUSION
BEWARE!... CHARACTER COUNTS!
... NOT a FALLACY
Therefore, we shouldn’t listen to his claim to be a good father and husband.
NON-FALLACY Example
Paul is irresponsible at work and it is well known to his friends
and neighbors that he treats his family with disdain.
ARGUMENTAGAINST THE
PERSON
1 Circumstantial2
3
(argumentum ad hominem)
You Too ABUSIVE
(Tu quoque)
Argument Against the Person
(HYPOCRISY, Personal INCONSISTENCY)
You Too
Claiming that the ARGUMENT is FLAWED
by pointing out that the ARGUER is NOT ACTING
CONSISTENTLY with the claims of the argument
STRUCTURE of Argument Against the Person
YOU TOO
X Argues it is WRONG to do Z
But X does Z.
Thus X’s argument is faulty (or has a false conclusion or can be ignored).
STRUCTURE of Argument Against the Person
YOU TOO
Harry: It’s wrong to rush the train door because if everybody did so then there
would be chaos.
Larry: Nonsense! You do it ALL THE TIME!
TEXTBOOK Example
Example #1
Ryan Mooneh says it is WRONG to be boastful yet he
raves about his handsome looks every lesson.
Therefore, we know that it IS ALRIGHT to be boastful.
Therefore, we can conclude that what he says is false after all!
Example #2Ryan preaches that physical
looks aren’t all that important.
Yet he falls in love on first sight with every pretty girl
he meets.
REAL-LIFE SCENARIO
APPEAL TO
PITYAmelia, come back to me!
I have a high fever and I searched five whole estates to get you this bottle of
herbal drink.
I’m such a nice person and that’s why you should love me. LOVE MEEHHH
APPEAL TO POPULARITY
WHAT?! Why?!
I’m the most popular guy in SMU and everyone loves me.
Even more so than that guy over there.
And hey, that’s why you should love me!
Argument Against the Person
Circumstantial
Is it because of Carel?! Why are you dating Carel?
She claims to be really kind and caring. But as someone who’s dating you, of
course she would say that lah!!
And you kept saying no, NO , NO ,NO. Can’t you say anything other than ‘no’?
Argument Against the Person
ABUSIVE
Carol is such a NERD! She definitely can’t be a good lover like she claim she is.
Come back to me, Amelia!
Argument Against the Person
(HYPOCRISY, Personal INCONSISTENCY)
You Too
Carol is so full of rubbish!
You Too!
So no. But I am thirsty.
Fine. Let’s go drink some guinness stout.
THANK YOU!